Hair styling apparatus

ABSTRACT

A hair styling apparatus includes a top arm and a bottom arm each having a handle end and a tip end opposite the handle end. The top arm and the bottom arm are rotatably connected at the handle ends for relative movement from an open position to a closed position. The apparatus also includes a top plate disposed on the top arm adjacent the top arm&#39;s tip end and having a top main surface, and a bottom plate disposed on the bottom arm adjacent the bottom arm&#39;s tip end and having a bottom main surface that, in the closed position, contacts the top main surface, the top main surface and the bottom main surface complementarily curve as they extend away from the handle end towards the tip end.

BACKGROUND

Apparatuses for shaping hair include, for example, hair dryers, hair curling tongs, hair straightening irons, etc. Conventional apparatuses for shaping hair typically have temperature controls so the user may select an appropriate heat setting and thus avoid unnecessarily high temperatures that may damage the hair. The temperature may be indicated with a dial or LED indicator lights. Other apparatuses for shaping hair may use infrared light instead of or in addition to heat for straightening the hair.

There is a constant need for improved apparatuses for shaping hair. More specifically there is a need for apparatuses enabling reduced heat damage of the hair and affording ease and comfort in use.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

A problem the inventors of the present disclosure encountered is that apparatuses for shaping hair such as, for example, hair straightening irons conventionally use flat plates to clamp the hair and/or to impart heat or light energy to the hair when straightening. The inventors noticed that flat plates tend to impair ease and comfort for the user.

The present disclosure provides a hair styling apparatus whose hair-contacting surfaces (e.g., heating surfaces) and/or housing curve as the surfaces and/or housing extend away from the handle towards the tip of the apparatus. This curved shaped of the hair-contacting surfaces and/or housing better conforms to the shape of a user's head, providing improved ease and comfort in use when compared to conventional apparatuses. The invention(s) disclosed here may provide these and other advantages over the prior art.

The accompanying drawings, which are incorporated in and constitute a part of the specification, illustrate various example systems, methods, and so on, that illustrate various example embodiments of aspects of the invention. It will be appreciated that the illustrated element boundaries (e.g., boxes, groups of boxes, or other shapes) in the figures represent one example of the boundaries. One of ordinary skill in the art will appreciate that one element may be designed as multiple elements or that multiple elements may be designed as one element. An element shown as an internal component of another element may be implemented as an external component and vice versa. Furthermore, elements may not be drawn to scale.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 illustrates a perspective view of an exemplary hair styling apparatus.

FIG. 2 illustrates a top view of the exemplary hair styling apparatus.

FIG. 3 illustrates a side view of the exemplary hair styling apparatus in the open position.

FIG. 4 illustrates a side view of the exemplary hair styling apparatus in the closed position.

FIG. 5 illustrates an exploded view of the exemplary hair styling apparatus.

FIG. 6 illustrates an exploded view of a top arm of the exemplary hair styling apparatus.

FIG. 7 illustrates an exploded view of a bottom arm of the exemplary hair styling apparatus.

FIG. 8 illustrates an exploded view of a bottom plate of the exemplary hair styling apparatus.

FIGS. 9A and 9B illustrate top and side schematic views of the exemplary hair styling apparatus.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

FIGS. 1-5 illustrate a hair styling apparatus 1 that includes a top arm 3 and a bottom arm 5. The top arm 3 has a handle end 3 a and a tip end 3 b. Similarly, the bottom arm 5 has a handle end 5 a and a tip end 5 b. The top arm 3 and the bottom arm 5 are rotatably connected at the handle ends 3 a, 5 a such that the top arm 3 and the bottom arm 5 move or rotate relative to each other from an open position (shown in FIG. 3) to a closed position (shown in FIG. 4). The top arm 3 and the bottom arm 5 may be connected by a hinge 7 that, as shown in FIG. 5, may include a hinge barrel 7 a and a hinge pivot 7 b. The hinge 7 may also be spring-loaded with spring 7 c for the apparatus 1 to default to the open position unless compressed to the closed position.

The apparatus 1 may also include plates 8, 9 that may, for example, provide heat as energy for straightening hair. The top plate 8 is located on the top arm 3 adjacent the top arm's tip end 3 b. The bottom plate 9 is located on the bottom arm 5 adjacent the bottom arm's tip end 5 b. The top plate 8 has a top main surface 8 a while the bottom plate 9 has a bottom main surface 9 a that, in the closed position, contacts the top main surface 8 a. In at least one embodiment, the top plate 8 and/or the bottom plate 9 are composed of metal. In at least one embodiment, the top plate 8 and/or the bottom plate 9 are composed of ceramic. In at least one embodiment, the top plate 8 and/or the bottom plate 9 are composed of aluminum or aluminum alloy.

In addition to or instead of heat as energy for straightening hair, the hair styling apparatus 1 may include a light source 13 provided in at least one of the top arm 3 and the bottom arm 5 adjacent the plates 8, 9. In one embodiment, the plates 8, 9 do not provide heat and, thus, only light energy is used for straightening hair. In another embodiment, a combination of heat energy and light energy may be provided for straightening hair. The light source 13 may be located proximal the top plate 8 and/or the bottom plate 9 such that, in the closed position, hair received between the top main surface 8 a and the bottom main surface 9 a receives light energy from the light source 13. The light source 13 may be, for example, one or more light emitting diodes (LED) such as, for example, infrared, ultraviolet, or visible light LED. In at least one embodiment, the light source 13 is capable of emitting radiation with a wavelength from about 300 nm to about 800 nm. In at least one embodiment, the light source 13 is capable of emitting light having a wavelength of from about 315 nm to about 450 nm, or from about 350 nm to about 440 nm.

The top arm 3 and the bottom arm 5 may each include a housing 10, 11 made from an insulating material (e.g., plastic, rubber, combinations thereof, etc.). Moreover, the housing 10, 11 may each have formed or installed thereon a handle portion 10 a, 11 a at the handle ends 3 a, 5 a, distal the plates 8, 9.

In the illustrated embodiment, the apparatus 1 comprises an electrical cable 12. In at least one embodiment, the apparatus 1 does not include the electrical cable 12. In such a cable-free embodiment, the apparatus 1 may include a rechargeable battery. A cabled apparatus may be preferred to avoid using a battery, which may be heavy and inconvenient because of battery-life limitations. However, a battery-powered device may be preferred to avoid tangling of the cable 12 and to make the apparatus 1 more easily transportable even during use.

A user may operate the apparatus 1 by plugging the electrical cable 12 to a power outlet. In one embodiment, the apparatus 1 includes a switch that a user may operate to turn on/off the apparatus 1. The user may hold the apparatus 1 by the handle portions 10 a, 11 a and compress the top and bottom arms 3, 5 together by squeezing at the handle portions 10 a, 11 bringing the top and bottom main surfaces 8 a, 9 a together. The top arm 3 pivots with respect to the bottom arm 5 about the hinge barrel 7 a of the spring-loaded hinge 7. Therefore, the top arm 3 and the bottom arm 5 form a sort of clamp for receiving hair positioned between the top and bottom arms 3, 5 when the apparatus is in the closed position. The user may then pull the apparatus 1, with hair clamped between the plates 8, 9, away from the user's scalp to straighten the hair with heat energy, light energy, or combinations.

A problem the inventors of the present disclosure encountered is that apparatuses for shaping hair such as, for example, hair straightening irons conventionally use flat plates to clamp the hair and/or to impart heat or light energy to the hair when straightening. The inventors noticed that flat plates tend to impair ease and comfort for the user.

The present disclosure provides a hair styling apparatus whose hair-contacting surfaces (e.g., heating surfaces 8 a, 9 a) curve as the surfaces extend away from the handle ends 3 a, 5 a towards the tip ends 3 b, 5 b of the apparatus 1. The top main surface 8 a and the bottom main surface 9 a complementarily curve as they extend away from the handle ends 3 a, 5 a towards the tip ends 3 b, 5 b. Similarly, housings 10, 11 of the top and bottom arms 3, 5, may curve as they extend away from the handle ends 3 a, 5 a towards the tip ends 3 b, 5 b. This curved shaped of the hair-contacting surfaces 8 a, 9 a and/or the housings 10, 11 better conforms to the shape of a user's head, providing improved ease and comfort in use when compared to conventional apparatuses.

FIG. 6 illustrates an exploded view of the top arm 3. The top arm 3 includes the top plate 8, the housing 10, and the light source 13. FIG. 7 illustrates an exploded view of the bottom arm 5. The bottom arm 5 may include the bottom plate 9, the housing 11, and the light source 13. In the illustrated embodiments, the light source 13 is a plurality of light-emitting diodes disposed along a portion of the length of the top and/or bottom arms 3, 5. The light source 13 may include at least two arrays of light-emitting diodes, wherein each array is a plurality of light-emitting diodes disposed along a portion of the length of the top and/or bottom arms 3, 5. In at least one embodiment, each array comprises at least 3, or at least about 4, or at least about 5, or at least about 6, or at least about 7, or at least about 8, or at least about 9, or at least about 10, or at least about 11 light-emitting diodes. In at least one embodiment, each array comprises less than 20, or less than 15 light-emitting diodes. In at least one embodiment, the apparatus 1 comprises from about 2 to about 6 arrays of light-emitting diodes.

FIG. 8 illustrates an exploded view of the bottom plate assembly, which includes the bottom plate 9, a heating element 9 b in thermal communication with the bottom plate 9, and a bottom plate backing 9 c that effectively presses the bottom heating element 9 b against the bottom plate 9 to ensure proper thermal communication between the heating element 9 b and the bottom plate 9. In at least one embodiment, the heating element 9 b is a resistive heating element. In at least one embodiment, the heating element 9 b is a ceramic heating element. In at least one embodiment, the heating element 9 b is an infrared heating element. Construction of the top plate assembly is similar including the top plate 8, a heating element in thermal communication with the top heating plate, and a top plate backing that effectively presses the top heating element against the top plate 8 to ensure proper thermal communication. In at least one embodiment, the plates 8, 9 may heat hair therebetween to a temperature of from about 50° C. to about 180° C.

As may be appreciated from FIGS. 1-8, the top main surface 8 a and the bottom main surface 9 a are generally rectangular with a width dimension and a length dimension longer than the width dimension. The top main surface 8 a and the bottom main surface 9 a complementarily curve with a radius of curvature perpendicular to the width dimension all along the curvature. The housing 10, 11 may similarly curve with a radius of curvature perpendicular to the width dimension all along the curvature.

FIGS. 9A and 9B show top and side schematic drawings, respectively, of the apparatus 1 to illustrate the curvature aspect. The apparatus 1 includes the top arm 3 and the bottom arm 5. The top arm 3 and the bottom arm 5 are hingedly joined by the hinge 7 at their handle ends 3 a, 5 a. The top arm 3 includes therein the top plate 8 at its tip end 3 b and the bottom arm 5 includes therein the bottom plate 9 at its tip end 5 b. The apparatus 1 has a width dimension W1 and a length dimension L1 longer than the width dimension W1. The top main surface 8 a and the bottom main surface 9 a may be generally rectangular with a width dimension W2 and a length dimension L2 longer than the width dimension W2. The top main surface 8 a and the bottom main surface 9 a complementarily curve with a radius of curvature R perpendicular to the width dimension W1 and/or W2 all along the curvature. In other words, the top main surface 8 a and the bottom main surface 9 a complementarily curve as they extend away from the handle ends 3 a, 5 a towards the tip ends 3 b, 5 b.

Returning to FIGS. 1-8, the top housing 10 may also curve as it extends away from the handle end 3 a towards the tip end 3 b. Similarly, the bottom housing 11 may also curve as it extends away from the handle end 5 a towards the tip end 5 b.

This curved shaped of the hair-contacting surfaces 8 a, 9 a and/or housing 10, 11 better conforms to the shape of a user's head, providing improved ease and comfort in use when compared to conventional apparatuses.

In one embodiment, the apparatus 1 includes a magnet-hall sensor combination to detect whether the apparatus 1 is in the open or closed position. For example, as shown in FIGS. 6 and 7, the apparatus 1 may include a hall sensor 14 disposed in the tip end 3 b of the top arm 3 and a complementary magnet 15 disposed in the tip end 5 b of the bottom arm 5. The reverse (magnet in the tip end 3 b of the top arm 3 and complementary hall sensor in the tip end 5 b of the bottom arm 5) may also be used. The magnet-hall sensor combination may detect proximity of the tip end 3 b of the top arm 3 to the tip end 5 b of the bottom arm 5 thus detecting that the apparatus 1 is in the closed position. Lack of such detection may also indicate that the apparatus 1 is in the open position. Thus, the magnet-hall sensor combination may generate a signal indicating whether the apparatus 1 is in the closed position or the open position.

As shown in FIG. 6, the apparatus 1 may also include a control circuit 17 configured to turn on the light source 13 upon receiving the signal indicating that the top arm 3 and the bottom arm 5 are in the closed position and/or turn off the light source 13 upon receiving the signal indicating that the top arm 3 and the bottom arm 5 are in the open position. In one embodiment, the control circuit 17 is configured to turn off the light source 13 a predetermined amount of time after receiving the signal indicating that the top arm 3 and the bottom arm 5 are in the open position. In another embodiment, the control circuit 17 is configured to turn off the light source 13 a predetermined amount of time after receiving the signal indicating that the top arm 3 and the bottom arm 5 are in the closed position. For example, a determination may be made that ten seconds of exposure to ultraviolet light from the LED is sufficient to straighten a strand of hair. In such a case, the control circuit 17 may be configured to turn off the light source 13 ten seconds after receiving the signal indicating that the top arm 3 and the bottom arm 5 are in the closed position. This way, over exposure to, for example, ultraviolet light may be prevented.

DEFINITIONS

The following includes definitions of selected terms employed herein. The definitions include various examples or forms of components that fall within the scope of a term and that may be used for implementation. The examples are not intended to be limiting. Both singular and plural forms of terms may be within the definitions.

As used herein, an “operable connection” or “operable coupling,” or a connection by which entities are “operably connected” or “operably coupled” is one in which the entities are connected in such a way that the entities may perform as intended. An operable connection may be a direct connection or an indirect connection in which an intermediate entity or entities cooperate or otherwise are part of the connection or are in between the operably connected entities. In the context of signals, an “operable connection,” or a connection by which entities are “operably connected,” is one in which signals, physical communications, or logical communications may be sent or received. Typically, an operable connection includes a physical interface, an electrical interface, or a data interface, but it is to be noted that an operable connection may include differing combinations of these or other types of connections sufficient to allow operable control. For example, two entities can be operably connected by being able to communicate signals to each other directly or through one or more intermediate entities like a processor, operating system, a logic, software, or other entity. Logical or physical communication channels can be used to create an operable connection.

“Signal,” as used herein, includes but is not limited to one or more electrical or optical signals, analog or digital signals, data, one or more computer or processor instructions, messages, a bit or bit stream, or other means that can be received, transmitted, or detected.

To the extent that the term “includes” or “including” is employed in the detailed description or the claims, it is intended to be inclusive in a manner similar to the term “comprising” as that term is interpreted when employed as a transitional word in a claim. Furthermore, to the extent that the term “or” is employed in the detailed description or claims (e.g., A or B) it is intended to mean “A or B or both”. When the applicants intend to indicate “only A or B but not both” then the term “only A or B but not both” will be employed. Thus, use of the term “or” herein is the inclusive, and not the exclusive use. See, Bryan A. Garner, A Dictionary of Modern Legal Usage 624 (2d. Ed. 1995).

While example systems, methods, and so on, have been illustrated by describing examples, and while the examples have been described in considerable detail, it is not the intention of the applicants to restrict or in any way limit scope to such detail. It is, of course, not possible to describe every conceivable combination of components or methodologies for purposes of describing the systems, methods, and so on, described herein. Additional advantages and modifications will readily appear to those skilled in the art. Therefore, the invention is not limited to the specific details, the representative apparatus, and illustrative examples shown and described. Thus, this application is intended to embrace alterations, modifications, and variations that fall within the scope of the appended claims. Furthermore, the preceding description is not meant to limit the scope of the invention. Rather, the scope of the invention is to be determined by the appended claims and their equivalents. 

What is claimed is:
 1. A hair styling apparatus, comprising: a top arm and a bottom arm each having a handle end and a tip end opposite the handle end, the top arm and the bottom arm being rotatably connected at the handle ends for relative movement from an open position to a closed position; a top heating plate disposed on the top arm adjacent the top arm's tip end and having a top main surface, and a bottom heating plate disposed on the bottom arm adjacent the bottom arm's tip end and having a bottom main surface that, in the closed position, contacts the top main surface, the top main surface and the bottom main surface complementarily curve as they extend away from the handle end towards the tip end.
 2. The hair styling apparatus of claim 1, wherein each of the top main surface and the bottom main surface are generally rectangular with a width dimension and a length dimension longer than the width dimension, and the top main surface and the bottom main surface complementarily curve with a radius of curvature perpendicular to the width dimension all along the curvature.
 3. The hair styling apparatus of claim 1, the top arm including a top housing operably attached to the top heating plate at the top arm's tip end, the top housing including a handle portion at the top arm's handle end, the top housing curves as it extends away from the handle end towards the tip end.
 4. The hair styling apparatus of claim 1, the bottom arm including a bottom housing operably attached to the bottom heating plate at the bottom arm's tip end, the bottom housing including a handle portion at the bottom arm's handle end, the bottom housing curves as it extends away from the handle end towards the tip end.
 5. The hair styling apparatus of claim 1, comprising: a heating element provided in at least one of the top arm and the bottom arm, the heating element in thermal communication with at least one of the top heating plate and the bottom heating plate.
 6. The hair styling apparatus of claim 1, comprising: at least one light source provided in at least one of the top arm and the bottom arm, wherein the at least one light source is located proximal the top heating plate or the bottom heating plate such that, in the closed position, hair received between the top main surface and the bottom main surface receives light energy from the light source.
 7. The hair styling apparatus of claim 1, comprising: at least one light source provided in at least one of the top arm and the bottom arm, wherein the at least one light source is located proximal the top heating plate or the bottom heating plate such that, in the closed position, hair received between the top main surface and the bottom main surface receives light energy from the light source; and a magnet-hall sensor combination, one of the magnet and the hall sensor disposed in the tip end of the top arm and the other one of the magnet and the hall sensor disposed in the tip end of the bottom arm, the magnet-hall sensor combination configured to generate a signal indicating that the top arm and the bottom arm are in the closed position or the open position.
 8. The hair styling apparatus of claim 1, comprising: at least one light source provided in at least one of the top arm and the bottom arm, wherein the at least one light source is located proximal the top heating plate or the bottom heating plate such that, in the closed position, hair received between the top main surface and the bottom main surface receives light energy from the light source; a magnet-hall sensor combination, one of the magnet and the hall sensor disposed in the tip end of the top arm and the other one of the magnet and the hall sensor disposed in the tip end of the bottom arm, the magnet-hall sensor combination configured to generate a signal indicating that the top arm and the bottom arm are in the closed position or the open position; and a control circuit configured to turn off the at least one light source upon receiving the signal indicating that the top arm and the bottom arm are in the open position.
 9. The hair styling apparatus of claim 1, comprising: at least one light source provided in at least one of the top arm and the bottom arm, wherein the at least one light source is located proximal the top heating plate or the bottom heating plate such that, in the closed position, hair received between the top main surface and the bottom main surface receives light energy from the light source; a magnet-hall sensor combination, one of the magnet and the hall sensor disposed in the tip end of the top arm and the other one of the magnet and the hall sensor disposed in the tip end of the bottom arm, the magnet-hall sensor combination configured to generate a signal indicating that the top arm and the bottom arm are in the closed position or the open position; and a control circuit configured to turn off the at least one light source a predetermined amount of time after receiving the signal indicating that the top arm and the bottom arm are in the open position.
 10. The hair styling apparatus of claim 1, comprising: at least one light source provided in at least one of the top arm and the bottom arm, wherein the at least one light source is located proximal the top heating plate or the bottom heating plate such that, in the closed position, hair received between the top main surface and the bottom main surface receives light energy from the light source; a magnet-hall sensor combination, one of the magnet and the hall sensor disposed in the tip end of the top arm and the other one of the magnet and the hall sensor disposed in the tip end of the bottom arm, the magnet-hall sensor combination configured to generate a signal indicating that the top arm and the bottom arm are in the closed position or the open position; and a control circuit configured to turn off the at least one light source a predetermined amount of time after receiving the signal indicating that the top arm and the bottom arm are in the closed position.
 11. A hair styling apparatus, comprising: a top arm and a bottom arm each having a handle end and a tip end opposite the handle end, the top arm and the bottom arm being rotatably connected at the handle ends for relative movement from an open position to a closed position; a top plate disposed on the top arm adjacent the top arm's tip end and having a top main surface, and a bottom plate disposed on the bottom arm adjacent the bottom arm's tip end and having a bottom main surface that, in the closed position, contacts the top main surface, wherein each of the top main surface and the bottom main surface have a width dimension and a length dimension longer than the width dimension, and the top main surface and the bottom main surface complementarily curve with a radius of curvature perpendicular to the width dimension all along the curvature.
 12. The hair styling apparatus of claim 11, the top arm including a top housing operably attached to the top plate at the top arm's tip end, the top housing including a handle portion at the top arm's handle end, the top housing curves as it extends away from the handle end towards the tip end with a radius of curvature perpendicular to the width dimension all along the top housing's curvature.
 13. The hair styling apparatus of claim 11, the bottom arm including a bottom housing operably attached to the bottom plate at the bottom arm's tip end, the bottom housing including a handle portion at the bottom arm's handle end, the bottom housing curves as it extends away from the handle end towards the tip end with a radius of curvature perpendicular to the width dimension all along the bottom housing's curvature.
 14. The hair styling apparatus of claim 11, wherein a heating element is provided in at least one of the top arm and the bottom arm, the heating element in thermal communication with at least one of the top plate and the bottom plate.
 15. The hair styling apparatus of claim 11, wherein at least one light source is provided in at least one of the top arm and the bottom arm, wherein the at least one light source is located proximal to a light-transmitting area of the top plate or the bottom element such that, in the closed position, hair received between the top main surface and the bottom main surface receives light energy from the light source.
 16. The hair styling apparatus of claim 11, wherein at least one light source is provided in at least one of the top arm and the bottom arm, wherein the at least one light source is located proximal to a light-transmitting area of the top plate or the bottom element such that, in the closed position, hair received between the top main surface and the bottom main surface receives light energy from the light source, wherein the light energy comprises ultraviolet light.
 17. The hair styling apparatus of claim 16, further comprising a magnet-hall sensor combination, one of the magnet and the hall sensor disposed in the tip end of the top arm and the other one of the magnet and the hall sensor disposed in the tip end of the bottom arm, the magnet-hall sensor combination configured to generate a signal indicating that the top arm and the bottom arm are in the closed position or the open position.
 18. The hair styling apparatus of claim 16, further comprising: a magnet-hall sensor combination, one of the magnet and the hall sensor disposed in the tip end of the top arm and the other one of the magnet and the hall sensor disposed in the tip end of the bottom arm, the magnet-hall sensor combination configured to generate a signal indicating that the top arm and the bottom arm are in the closed position or the open position; and a control circuit configured to turn off the at least one light source upon receiving the signal indicating that the top arm and the bottom arm are in the open position.
 19. The hair styling apparatus of claim 16, further comprising: a magnet-hall sensor combination, one of the magnet and the hall sensor disposed in the tip end of the top arm and the other one of the magnet and the hall sensor disposed in the tip end of the bottom arm, the magnet-hall sensor combination configured to generate a signal indicating that the top arm and the bottom arm are in the closed position or the open position; and a control circuit configured to turn off the at least one light source a predetermined amount of time after receiving the signal indicating that the top arm and the bottom arm are in the open position.
 20. The hair styling apparatus of claim 16, further comprising: a magnet-hall sensor combination, one of the magnet and the hall sensor disposed in the tip end of the top arm and the other one of the magnet and the hall sensor disposed in the tip end of the bottom arm, the magnet-hall sensor combination configured to generate a signal indicating that the top arm and the bottom arm are in the closed position or the open position; and a control circuit configured to turn off the at least one light source a predetermined amount of time after receiving the signal indicating that the top arm and the bottom arm are in the closed position. 